She Let Go

Disclaimer: I don't own the O.C. or any characters. Just the random thoughts distracting me from homework.

Summary: Elina Roberts was dealing with more than anyone knew. This is why she left, and what she left behind.

A/N: This idea came to me at school today during Eng. Lit. So I wrote down the idea and here it is! In case you can't tell, Elina Roberts is Summer's mother. I haven't seen many fics from her point of view. So I had to make one myself. There will be more than one chapter to this. And more than one idea explored (other than the one evident in this chapter). Summer's and Neil's POV's will be explored in later chapters.

She was daddy's little princess.

Even while they were married, Elina Roberts knew.

Her daughter was Neil Robert's favorite.

Shopping sprees. Friday afternoon trips to Los Angeles.

All the while Elina was sitting at home.

Missing her husband.

Envying her daughter.

Hating herself.

They looked like the perfect family to others.

A rich, devoted husband, beautiful, young wife, and sweet, precocious daughter.

That was on the exterior.

Others didn't know what went on behind closed doors.

Others didn't know how Elina felt in her heart. Suffocated, unwanted, hopeless.

Others didn't know Neil's schedule. Work, play with daughter, sleep.

Workaholic that he was, Neil always made time to play with her, before or after dinner, any day of the week.

A quick kiss to Elina, then it was off for some quality father-daughter time.

Whatever happened to quality husband-wife time?

She happened.

It was partly Elina's fault. She'd wanted to get pregnant so early on.

She'd settled down already, now all that was missing was the "start a family" part.

If only it was that easy.

Neil spoiled her.

All of his time and attention went to her.

She was daddy's little princess.

But Summer wasn't daddy's.